Distributer for grain-drills.



PATENTBD NOV. 22, 1904.

F. R. PAGKHAM.

DISTRIBUTER FOR GRAIN DRILLS.

APPLICATION TILED APR. 6, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

No. 775,851. PATENTBD NOV.- 22, 1904. P. R. PACKHAM.

DISTRIBUTER FOR GRAIN DRILLS.

APPLIGATION FILED APR. 6, 1904. w

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Chimneys No; 775,851. Patented November 5353, 1904;.

Nflil STATS tries,

FRANK R. PAOKHAM, OF SPRING-FIELD, Ol-llO, ASSIGNOR TO AMEltlOANSEEDING- MACHINE COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A GOR- PORATION OFNEW V JERSEY.

lDlSTFllBLlTEW FOR GRAlN DRlLLS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N0. 775,851, dated November22, 1904. Application filed April 6, 1904. Serial No, 201,795. No modeL)T wlwm/ t Z/ oncern: from said carrying-wheels to said feeding Be itknown that l, FRANK R. PACKHAM, a i wheels. lit is usual to employ aseries of discitizen of the United States,residing at Spring. tributersfor each machine, and it is usual to field, in the county of Clark andState of Ohio, have what has been called the double-run 5 have inventedcertain new and usefullmprovei feature, and by this is meant adistributor ments in Distributors for Grain-Drills, of 1 having twofeeding-flanges and channels for which the following is a specification.i same, and these flanges and channels are My invention relates toimprovements in formed differently, so that each is adapted tograin-drill feeding devices, often called disi sow a different varietyof grain. One flange 1 tributers. and channel is usually formed forsmall hard It relates more particularly to a force-feedand smoothgrains--such as wheat, rye, hemp, ing device and is of the type known asor flax seedwhile the other-flange and chanfiangc feeds. nel is formedfor oats, barley, buckwheat,

My object is to construct a feeding device maize, and seeds of thecoarser or chally va- I5 simple in construction and accurate inthefeedriety.

ing of grain of different varieties and sizes, One great diilicultyoften encounterr-zd indisone that is free, from leakage, which so oftentributers of this class is that eats, barley, and

results in some grain being fed improperly seeds of the coarser orchal'l'y variety he 5 and some failing to reach the spout or co11-quently form arches or so called bridges 2O duit. A further advantage isshown in conabove what is known as the measuring 'nection with the useof the double-run feed, channel, thereby retarding the gradual and and Iprovide means for closing the openings necessary even flow of the grainto said measin one or both of the measuring-channels of uring channel.My improved device is de 7 the feeding device and adapted, further, tosigned to prevent this, as will be more fully 5 out off entirely theflow of grain to both chanexplained. Another diiiiculty frequently metnels simultaneously for the purpose of throwwith in double-run feedingdevices is that line ing out of operation any distributor of the seeds,such as flax, escape across the distribseries. uter from one side of thefeeding-wheel into In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective the wrongmeasuririg-channel, it being re- 3 view of one feeding device attachedto the membered that no one Ineasuring-clmnnel is hopper of the machine.Fig. 2 is a vertical adapted tosow both kinds of grain. Wheneversectional view of the feeding device and acthe hard smooth grains, suchas wheat, 850.,

companying parts, taken through the center are to be sewn, it isdesirable to shut off the thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse view takenmcasuringchannel for sowing the coarse 35 on the line y y of Fig. 2.Fig. 4: is a view in chafly variety of grains, and my improvementperspective of the casing and wheel. Fig. 5 consists in an improved formof device for is a rear elevation view of the distributors cutting 01fone of the measuring-channels in shown in series. Fig. 6 is a detail ofthe such manner that there is no possibility of 5 casing. the grainescaping into the measuring-chan- 4 Like parts are indicated by likecharacters nel for the other kind of grain. In accomof reference in theseveral views. plishing all these objects it is especially de- It willbe understood that in a wheat-drill sirable to have a flange feedingdevice which or other machine to which my distributor is will positivelyand accurately feed the gram 9 to be attached the hopper of the machineis which passes within the measuring-channel of 45 supported by thecarrying-wheels, and the l the distributer. By the constructions shownforce requlred to move the wheels of the feed- I improve the accuracyand elliciency of thls mg devices 1s transmitted through gearing flangefeeding device.

The side frames of the hopper are indicated l by A. w wheel of thefeeding device is indicated 3 The by a. It is formed of such width as toextend within both measuring-channels, as will be more fully explained.1

The outer casing of the distributer is indil cated by 0/, and I haveshown the wheel a sur- 5 rounded by two casings, each being indicated bya. The space formed between the wheel a and the casing a" is called themeasuringchannel, and the measuring-channels are of differentformations, depending on what variety of seed it is desired to sow. Byreason of the fact that in machines of this class each feeding-wheel isusually adapted to sow both hard grains and coarse and chaify grains themeasuring-channel on one side of the wheel is particularly adapted forthe feeding of hard grains, while the measuring-channel on the oppositeside of the wheel is formed particularly for the other variety of grain.In these de' vices the grain is carried by the inside flange of thecarrying-wheel through a restricted opening to the point of discharge,from which point the seed drops, by gravity, into a spout or otherconnection which carries the seed to the ground, where it is deliveredby the furrowopener. The amount sown is determined by the speed of thewheel, and in these machines there are change-of-speed devices. Thespouts are not shown, but may be connected to the lower rear end of thefeeding device at the points (/7, Fig. 1.

I have shown the casing a of the feeding clevice formed at each upperend with a flat surface, (indicated by (0 These two casings for eachfeedingwheel a are adapted to be held together, as indicated in Fig. at.The flat surface a is formed LO fit against the bottom of thefeed-hopper, (see Fig. 1,) and the perforations (4* in the casing arefor the fastening device which holds the casings rigid to the bottom ofthe hopper. The outer rim of the feeding-wheel a is formed with a groove(5, (shown in Fig. 1,) the purpose of which will be explainedhereinafter. The inside flange of the wheel a, (indicated by a,) isformed with ribs, (see Figs. 1 and &,) and these ribs are particularlyadapted to assist in carrying the seed through the discharge opening ofpredetermined size formed between the casing to and the face of thefeed-wheel, which dischargeopening is located at the lower end of theeasing nearthe point of attachment for the spouts. (See Fig. 1.) Theaxis of the feeding-wheel is indicated by (0 Fig. 1, and it usuallyconsists of a shaft which extends across the machine, the feeding-wheelsbeing rigidly journaled to the shaft and the motion from thedriving-wheels being transmitted to the feeding-wheels through thisshaft.

The bottom of the hopper is indicated by the letter 7).

partition-plate were so arranged as to provide an irregular andunreliable closing of the space above the feed-wheel. I have overcomethis by a partition-plate of peculiar formation, as shown in Fig. 1, sothat the lower edge of the plate is adapted to fit within the groove a",formed within the feeding-wheela. Ihave shown in Fig. 4 the two casings(0, adapted when assembled to form a groove 6 within which saidpartition-plate at its lower extremity fits, while at its upperextremity it also fits within a groove 5 formed in the sides of thehopper. Consequently the partition-plate is adapted to fit so compactlythat there cannot be any possibility of the fine grain leaking throughfrom one compartment of the hopper into the adjoining compartment. Thesides of the outer casing to are of peculiar configuration, and for thepurpose of im proving the efficiency of the feeding device I have cutaway'the upper part of the casing, as shown at 6', Fig.4. Usually thiscasing is formed so that the sides extend up even with the bottom of thehopper; but by the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 4c the sides of thecasing at the upper ends are broken away. The intervening space betweenthe grain-distributer is closed by a suitable extended portion a of themain hopper or seedbox, preferably in the form of a metallic spacer, as

shown in Fig. 5, and by reason of the part of the sides of the casingbroken away at If there is exposed a greater area of moving surface ofthe feed-wheel a to the grain, which provides more efficient means forundermining the grain above the wheel and preventing the tendency of thegrain to bridge over the measuring-channel through which the grain is tobe sown.

Through the sides of the hopper I pass the pivot-rod 6 which extendsthrough an opening formed in upper edge of the partitionplate Z),securely supporting said partitionplate in proper position. I also pivotabout said rod 5 two plates Z) and If. These are known asreversing-plates, having heretofore been used in grain-distributers, andI recognize the fact that it is not new to pivot these plates; but thenovelty consists in the manner in which 1 construct these plates and therelative position of the plates to the feed-wheel, enabling me to derivean entirely new advantage from the combination. 7

The pivot-rod 6 as will be observed from Fig. 1, is located at a pointwell up into the hopper, and consequently, the plates being pivoted fromthat point, either plate may be oscillated until it is thrown from onecompartment into the opposite compartment, where it will rest upon theback of the opposite plate, as indicated in Fig. 5, and will asl sist toguide the grain to the ad oining d1stributer. In this figure l haveshown at the l left the right-hand plate reversed into the lefthandcompartment resting above the left-hand i plate, which will cause thegrain above said plate to be guided toward .the distributor to the left,whereas in the center of the figurel l have shown a distributer wherethe left-hand j plate is thrown over into the right-hand compartment andrests above the right-hand plate, while at the right side of the figureI have shown both plates in normal position, adapted simultaneously toout off the grain from both lneasuring-channels.

it is evident that there can be but one proper point for the location ofthe pivotal rod If, upon which the reversingplates Wand 7/ arehinged-namely, that point from which the reversing-plates b and areswung as a center -so that either plate when dropped in to its normalposition of contact with the casing at the point 6* will clear the edgeof the flange of the feed-wheel a and yet will when thrown back overitsopposite plate, as shown on the right-haud and center distributers',Fig. 5, have sufficicnt incline to deflect the grain resting-upon ittoward the next distributer.

in order to insure that very small grain which may leak between theflanges of the feed-wheel and outer casing shall not be lost, but shallbe conveyed into the regular conduit for carrying the grain from thedistributer to the furrow opener, T have shown the casing closed aroundthe feed-wheel at the bottom and rear, practically touching in the backat the point Z) and tapering away gradually from that point to theregular point of discharge into the conduit, so that the grain leakagefrom the flange of the feed-wheel, as above described, shall be carriedby gravity. and the friction of the feed-wheel out of the casing throughthe point of discharge for the rcgularly-distributed grain.

Having thus described .my claiml1. The combination of hopper and feedingdevice consisting of a casing and wheel having a groove formed in itsouter face, and a par invention, I

tition adapted to lit within said groove, for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of hopper and feeding device consisting of casing andwheel, a groove i formed in the outer periphery of said wheel, and apartitionplate supported within said groove with the periphery of saidwheel at each side of said groove exposed within said hopper.

3. The combination of hopper and feeding devices consisting of a casingand feedingflauge, the ends of said casing being formed to lit the endsof said hopper, the sides of said casing being dropped below the ends ofsame forming an open space between said hopper tit and the side of saidcasing, an extension Io said hopper forming with said casing a chambealongside said feeding-flange.

4. The combination of hopper and a series of feeding devices, eachfeeding device cou- I sisting of a casing and feeding-flange, the

ends of said casing formed flush with the bottom of said hopper, and thesides of said casing ending below the ends ofsa-id casing and forming anopen space between the bottom of the hopper and the casing, extensionsformed to said hopper, said extensions forming with the casings a seriesof chambers, each chamber being located alongside a feeding-flange, forthe purpose specified.

5. The combination of hopper and feeding device consisting of a casingand moving flange,said casing and flange formi ng a doublerun device, aplurality of reversing-plates and pivots for said plates whereby eachplate may swing into normal position clear of the'l'lange, and whenthrown back over its opposite plate will form an incline for deflectingthe seed.

6. The combination of hopper and feeding device consisting of casing andn'iovingl'l ange, laid casing and flange forming a double-run device,two reversing-plates for each feedingflangc pivoted to said hopper abovesaid flange and adapted to swing within both chambers of said double-rundevice, formed that one plate may be reversed to rest upon the oppositeplate, for the purpose specilied.

7. The combination of hopper and feeding device consisting of a casingand moving flange, a discharge-opening for said feeding device, saidcasing formed at its rear edge in close proximity to said moving flangehut tapering away from that point to the discl'iargeopening, for thepurpose specified.

8. In a distributer consisting of a feeding device,a plurality of1neasuring-channels, a plurality of plates, each plate formed to cut offits respective measuring-channel and further adapted when reversed toassist in deflecting grain away from the opposite measuring-channel.

9. The combination of a hopper and feeding devices consisting of acasing and feeding flange, the ends of said casing formed flush with thebottom of said hopper and adapted to tit against the said bottom, andthe sides of said casing dropped below the ends of said casing andforming an open space in the side of said casing below the bottom ofsaid hopper, an extension to said hopper adapted to form achamberalongside said feeding-flange, the open space referred toconstituting the entrance from said chamber to the feedingflange of thefeeding device, for the purpose specified.

10. The combination of the hopper and feeding device consisting of acasing and feeding flange, the ends of said casing being formed flushwith the bottom of said hopper, and the sides of said casing beingdropped below the ends thereof, an extension formed to said hopper, theends of said extension abutting against the ends of said casing, and thebottom of said extension forming with the top of the sides of saidcasing the bottom of a chamber formed alongside said feeding-flange.

In testimony whereof have hereunto set my hand this 2nd day of April, A.D. 1904-1 FRANK R. PAOKHAM.

\Vitnesses: 7

CHAS. l. WELGH, CLIFTON P. GRANT.

